


Of Dawn and Twilight

by theOGdreymandi87



Series: Of Dawn and Twilight: OLAD Shorts [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Star Wars Fusion, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Forehead Kisses, Love Confessions, Marriage Proposal, Movie: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, One Shot, One Shot Collection, POV Finn (Star Wars), Post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Relationship(s), Romance, Series, Short One Shot, Surprise Kissing, finnrose - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-05
Updated: 2020-09-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:34:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26299504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theOGdreymandi87/pseuds/theOGdreymandi87
Summary: This is a one-shot collection I'm starting that will be in tandem with my fantasy AU trilogy. I don't know how many stories/chapters will be in this collection but I plan on them being little snapshots of our favourite characters in the gap year between TLJ and TROS.  I'm hoping this will not only satisfy our need to see the other characters in this AU but also allow a good setup for what I plan to do with TROS.  And it gives the Finn, Rose and Poe stans some content too :D  Enjoy!
Relationships: Finn & Rose Tico, Finn/Rose Tico
Series: Of Dawn and Twilight: OLAD Shorts [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1910887
Comments: 4
Kudos: 3





	Of Dawn and Twilight

**Author's Note:**

> This story takes places inside the medic tent 4 days after the Battle of Crait, where an exhausted Finn keeps watch over Rose's unconscious form. When she finally wakes up, they get to have a good talk about that battlefield kiss and where things go from there. Will Finn get to express his feelings or will Poe walk in and ruin it? Click to find out :D

The new base camp laid still and quiet in the veil of midnight as Finn felt himself drifting off for the seventh time since the sun set. He jolted, the hard wooden back of the chair digging into his side.He groaned at the discomfort and shifted his posture.Shaking the pull of sleep from his psyche, he looked down at the cot next to him and searched the sleeping figure for signs of waking. 

Nothing but stillness and steady breathing. 

At least she was alive.He kept telling himself that it could have been so much worse.That her injuries could have claimed her life right there on the Crait Plateau.But she had a strength to her, he knew, that wouldn’t give up so easily for someone so small.It was probably her saving grace.

He rubbed his upper arm, where she had punctured him with a sleeping elixir the first time they met, when she thought he was trying to steal a life boat to runaway.When she thought he’d been both hero and coward in the span of a heartbeat.Of course, she’d changed her mind after Canto Bight, but the memory of her realization — the softness and melancholy turning to righteous fury in her eyes — still danced at the back of his mind. 

Finn leaned forward, elbows on knees, and squashed his face in his hands, hoping to rub away the exhaustion that lingered in the ache of his eyes and jaw.Poe had come to relieve him of his watch the night before but Finn had refused to leave her side. After all, it was because of her that he still lived, instead of dying on that plateau, another soul lost to the Order’s insatiable conquest.She’d known him for only a couple of weeks and yet risked her life to save his. 

He slid his hands down his face and let his lips curl in a tired smile.That seemed to be a trend amongst the rebels — trusting and looking out for each other almost immediately.Poe had trusted him that way. Rey had trusted him that way. And now Rose. 

He looked down at her and let his eyes roam over her features, cuts and bruises stark against her skin. Most were already half-healed but some still looked angry and sore. 

He wished he could take them away.

Movement out of the corner of his vision drew his attention.Rose’s hand slowly slid across the thin sheets of the cot and she made a soft noise. Finn froze, afraid to disturb whatever small miracle was happening, until her brows knit together and her eyes began to flutter open to the dim light of the healer’s tent. 

He released his breath.

Rose blinked against the candles lighting the space, searching her surroundings with dazed curiosity.When finally her sight landed on Finn, she seemed to relax, settled into the cot a little more securely.He thought she might fall asleep again. 

She groaned.“Where are we?And why does my head feel like it’s been run over by a herd of bantha beasts?”

Finn swallowed the emotion that welled up against his exhaustion.“You’re awake.I can’t believe you’re awake…” 

Rose frowned.“Why wouldn’t you believe I’m awake?What happened?How long have I been…here?” She made a half-hearted gesture to indicate the medic tent. 

Finn smiled and scooted the chair closer.He looked down at her hand and so badly wanted to take it into his.“So you don’t remember botching my attempt at martyrdom?You really must have hit your head if you forget that.”

Rose smirked. “Oh right…now I remember.You were about to let your big dumb butt get killed for nothing.”

His laugh echoed through him like a cool salve, soothing the worry that had taken up residence inside him.“Well, I wouldn’t say for nothing.”

“You tried to joust a dragon after the retreat.”

“I could have won.”

Rose scrunched up her face. “You would have been poofed into ash, and you know it.”

Finn’s smile spread so wide he thought his face would split in half.“I know.But you saved me.”

“I did.You’re welcome, you big dummy.”Rose’s gaze weighed softly over him. 

He leaned down and rested his elbows on the edge of the cot. “The first time you’ve opened your eyes in four days and the first thing you call me is ‘big dummy’?That sounds about right.”

“ _Four days_?” Her dark eyes went wide and she lurched forward, cursing under her breath with the pain that accompanied. 

Finn pressed his palms to her shoulder and gently guided her prone again.“Take it easy.You broke six ribs crashing into me.”When Rose had settled, he continued. “You had us all worried.The healers said you’d probably make it but we weren’t so sure when you didn’t wake up.”

Rose studied his face, letting her gaze wander over his features as if searching for something.Her brows furrowed.“You haven’t been sitting here this whole time, have you?”

He shifted.“Uh…no.No, of course not,” he lied.“Why would you think that?”

She gave him a pointed look.“Finn, you didn’t have to do that for me. It’s sweet, it really truly is.But you didn’t have to do that.I would’ve been fine.”Rose slid her hand over to where his elbow rested and gripped it lightly, sending warm tingles over his skin despite her cold fingers. 

He diverted his eyes away from her. “I didn’t want you to be alone when you woke up, like I was. I wanted you to know that someone was looking out for you.”

“But the whole time?Have you slept?Did you even eat?It didn’t have to be you all by yourself, you know.”

He flicked his gaze up to hers.“Yeah, it kinda did. If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.It was the least I could do, considering.”

“You don’t have to punish yourself for my decisions.I could have just left you to get poofed.”She gave a small smile and he snorted.“But even though you didn’t have to, I’m glad I woke up with you here. It means a lot.”

Finn placed his hand over hers and slid it down his arm until her palm nestled between both of his.He shifted closer and stared at their hands. “Did you mean it?”

“Mean what? My saving you or what I just said?”

“That kiss…in Crait. Did you mean it?”

She went silent, the sparkle in her eyes belying the soft flush that bloomed on her cheeks. Most people probably wouldn’t have noticed in the dim light, but he’d spent so much time the last two weeks looking at her — stealing glances when he knew she wasn’t paying attention — that he could tell the subtle change in colour. 

She took a deep breath and exhaled in resolve.She wet her cracked lips.“I did.I did mean it. And I’ll still mean it even if you don’t feel the same way. But I don’t expect you to.I’m not going to break if I’m alone in my feelings. I mean, sure it was a crazy move and I don’t usually —“

Finn couldn’t stand it anymore.He leaned down and pressed his mouth to hers, cutting off her words in muffled surprise.After a moment, her lips softened and she melted into the kiss, bringing her other hand up to caress his jaw and slide tenderly up along the back of his head.She thumbed the short, coarse curls there and sent pleasant shivers down his neck. 

He’d never felt like that before and it was euphoric. 

Rose giggled into his lips and he pulled away, his brows furrowed.

“If I’d known you kissed like _that_ , I would have woken up sooner,” she teased, starlight and sparks dancing in her eyes, now crescent moons with her smile. 

“It’s good then? Uh…I’m good?”Finn asked, genuinely surprised.He’d never kissed anyone before when he was a solider and everything from the time he was a child had revolved around training and honing his battle skills.Thoughts of kissing and romance were forced so far from his mind growing up that this felt both awkward and exhilarating all at once. 

Rose gave a sly smirk.“Well, I’ve only tried the lips so far, but for now, yeah.You’re pretty good at this.”

Finn raised his eyebrows.He wasn’t entirely sure what that meant but it certainly seemed like a good sign.Rose must have seen his confusion.

“Never mind.We can about talk about that another time,” she said. 

He let out a slow breath and kissed her forehead, allowing himself to feel the skin of her neck as he grazed his fingers down passed her jawline.The healers had cleaned her up and put healing ointment on her injuries when she’d arrived, but traces of smudged grease from sail gears still lingered in spots. Not that he would ever tell her. 

“So, where do we go from here?” he asked, resisting the urge to swallow the lump that threatened to waver his words.Give him a crossbow and he’d know how to use it.Give him a sword and he’d know how to wield it.But he had absolutely no idea what to do with what had bloomed between him and Rose. That was an enigma he eagerly wished to explore. 

Rose pursed her lips in thought.“Well, I suppose we should tell the rest of the camp.Make it official. And then there’s nothing more to do, really, than ask the Queen to marry us,” she said finally.

For the second time that night, Finn froze. 

And she looked serious.

“Marr-married? As in a wedding? Do most couples do that…so quick?”He felt his temperature rising as heat flooded his skin and prickled along its surface.The tent felt too small.

“Don’t you want to get married?” Rose asked, dark eyes glimmering in the candlelight, begging him not to let her down.

He cleared his throat.“Uh…no. I mean yes! Yes, I do! But you just…and we just…and the war…and everything’s so —“

Rose cut him off with a roar of laughter that lit up every bruised corner of her small face.She laughed until streams of tears trickled from the edges of her eyes and onto the pillow.For some reason, his confusion made her laugh all the same.Suddenly, she winced and pressed her hands to her ribs, cooling off the guffaw until it was only silly giggles. 

She looked at him directly. “You are so adorable, I could squeeze you,” she said.When his confusion didn’t relent, she laid a palm against his forearm.“I was kidding, Finn.But the _look_ on your _face_ was totally worth my ribs aching!”Rose wiped the moisture from the corners of her eyes and beamed up at him. 

Finn blinked. “So, you don’t want to get married?”

She shook her head. “Absolutely not! Maybe one day but definitely not right now.We hardly know each other, besides.”Rose squeezed his hand. “As a serious answer to your question, though, I think we should simply be.Take each day as it comes and build what we’ve got into something strong.I care about you a lot, Finn. And I’d like to see where we could go with this.If you want to.”

Ah.That made much more sense. 

He let out a breath of relief and a grin spread across his face.He nodded. “I want that too,” he said and lifted her hand to kiss the back of her palm. 

A raised voice and squelching footsteps interrupted the quiet of the tent and the entrance flap rustled violently as Poe launched himself into the space, mid-sentence.

“—and I don’t care if you say no again.You need sleep and food and I’ll be boiled alive before I let my friend waste away like a —“He looked up from the canvas floor where his muddy boots had made a trail and saw Finn, his lips barely removed from Rose’s hand. He gently lowered it back to her side. 

Poe’s eyes darted from Finn to Rose to Finn again as Finn could see the gears grinding away in his mind.

He made a questioning gesture.“Am I interrupting something?Cause it definitely looks that way.Also, hey! You’re awake!Glad to see you rejoined the land of the living!”His polished smile gleamed in the flickering light and he sauntered over to Rose’s cot, plunking himself down at the edge.“You had us worried sick there, Rosie. It’s good to know we get to keep you both around for a while longer.”

Rose smiled, though Finn could see fatigue creeping back into the lines of her face.“Thanks, Dameron.Glad to see _you_ didn’t get creamed out there too.”

“Well, you know me.Master of escaping certain doom and all.”He beamed and nudged Finn.Finn gave a crooked smile back. 

Something conspiratorial lit up Poe’s face.“Speaking of you two, was I barging in on something say…romantic?Are you guys like, a thing now?”

Finn looked to Rose and she nodded. 

“Yeah.Yeah, I think we are,” he said. He couldn’t help the grin from reforming on his features.Warmth and flutters and light had filled him inside out.He’d never experienced anything so wonderful in all his life. 

Poe cheshired devilishly and gave Finn a rough, playful shake. “Buddy! This is great news!I had no idea you two were a thing!I don’t know what happened in Canto Bight but I don’t care. This is exciting!”He turned his sights on Rose and pointed at her. “And Rosie, you be nice to him. I actually like this one.”

Rose giggled and raised her brow. “No promises.But I like this one too.”She beamed at Finn and he knew somewhere deep within him, like an instinct too strong to deny, that she more than just liked him.He didn’t know where it came from — how he knew it so certainly — but he was too tired to analyze that now. 

He needed to sleep.And in the morning, he’d find out whether it was just exhaustion or something more.

Poe stood from the edge of the cot and gave Finn a rough pat.“Alright, lover boy, time for you get to bed and let the lady have some quiet. I’ll wait for you outside.”He gave another pat and crossed the space, disappearing behind the veil of the leather tent flap. 

Finn turned his attention back to Rose. He squeezed her hand gently. “I’ll come see you in the morning.Goodnight.”He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers, savouring the tender sensation. 

He could definitely get used to that. 

“Goodnight,” she said after their lips parted. He made a move to leave.“Oh and Finn,” she called, grasping the loose tatters of his tunic sleeve. “Bring me breakfast when you come?I’m sure I’ll be starving by then.” 

Her smile made him feel weightless.

“Of course.We’ll have breakfast together,” he replied. 

“I like the sound of that.”She released his sleeve and shifted under the blanket.“See you tomorrow.”

Finn brushed his hand against hers as he left the side of the cot and crossed the room, all the previous heaviness lifted from his soul. His body was exhausted but his heart never felt so alive.He gave a glance back over his shoulder and then pushed through the flap and into the chill of the night. 


End file.
